DAWN
by SunStreak
Summary: Gourry finds himself in dream land, but he is taken back to a past that Gourry never wanted to re-live again. Will Gourry find some closure in his life by allowing these old memories to unlock themselves from the back of his mind?
1. A night of Rememberance

A Night of Remembrance   
  
Gourry Gabriev peered in the dark little room, he sighed as he watched the sleeping little figure in bed. She had long red hair, much like her mother's and dark blue eyes that were sealed behind closed lids. She was a beautiful child. Gourry wondered what his daughter was dreaming about. He hoped that she was dreaming about happier times when they would go on picnics and Lina would play tag with the little child. Gourry could almost picture those happy times in his head. He would lean against the tree and watch happily as Lina chased the child around yelling playfully, "I'm gonna getcha'!" And when she leaped for the girl, she'd dodge her mother and screech as she ran away. "You'll never get me! I'm too fast!" She'd yell as she started running.  
"Liana, come get your lunch." Gourry said as he handed the child the plate full of food. The three of them would sit under the tree and happily eat their lunch.   
Gourry recalled many happy days that he would spend with Lina, under that very tree, watching the sunsets in each other's arms, or picnics on sunny days with their daughter. But those days were gone now. The only thing Gourry had left to remind him of Lina was his precious daughter, Liana.  
  
Gourry turned out all the lights and finally went to bed. As he crawled under the covers, he suddenly wished that he had some company, no, not just anyone, he yearned for Lina. He missed rolling over in the morning and being able to just watch her sleep peacefully, he missed the feeling he had when he held her close to him, Gourry missed everything about Lina. "Oh Lina, please say you'll come and visit me in my dreams." Gourry said to himself.   
  
It has been over a year since Lina's death, Gourry had fallen to pieces when she died, but somehow he managed to keep himself together, he knew that he had to stay strong for the sake of his daughter. She was only seven when it happened, when a mysterious disease took Lina's life away. At first Liana didn't know how to react to her mother's death, then at the funeral Liana lost it and started bawling into her father's arms. It was a very sad day. Even Zel, the strong one of the group had been crying. Amelia and her father were beside themselves with grief. It was a large funeral; every one from all over had come to pay their respects to the sorceress, Lina Inverse. Lina's family was there, her sister gave such a beautiful speech, but in the middle of it, she started crying, but somehow managed to finish it. Every body was miserable.  
  
Gourry closed his eyes and he was soon in a deep slumber. Gourry was dreaming about Lina, it started out as a perfect dream, he dreamt about adventures they had, the birth of Liana and so on, but then Gourry's perfect dream turned into a nightmare, it was so real that Gourry felt as though he was actually awake.  
"WAKE UP!" A loud voce broke through Gourry's dream and he woke with a start, he felt something heavy sitting on his chest and when he looked up he saw Lina's face looking down at him! Gourry rubbed his eyes and was about to say "Lina!" when he suddenly realized that it wasn't Lina, it was Liana.  
"What's wrong baby girl?" He asked her in a soothing tone, not letting on that he had been having nightmares.  
"I had a bad dream. Can I sleep with you tonight Daddy?" The little girl clung to her new teddy bear tightly. Gourry lifted up the covers and patted the space beside him. "Hop on in." He said. Liana smiled and pounced into the bed. Once under the covers, Liana snuggled up to Gourry's chest and Gourry rapped his arms around her tiny body. "So what was your dream about?" Gourry asked.  
"Mommy." Liana said bluntly. "I dreamt about when she got sick. It scared me. Daddy, do you think that I'll get sick too?" Liana's eyes were filling up with tears and Gourry could feel the child shake in his arm.  
"No, Baby Bear. You don't have to worry about that." Gourry kissed the child on the head and she smiled when she heard her father call her by her pet name. She knew that when he called her "Baby Bear" that every thing would be all right. Gourry started singing a soft little tune that he use to sing to her when she was just a baby and within a few minutes, Liana was asleep.  
Gourry laid there for a while and a flood of sad memories came rushing back to him. Memories that he hoped he'd never would have to think about again, but they unlocked themselves from the back of his mind and he was reliving that terrible day when his wife got sick.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Flash Back

The Flash Back  
  
***Flash back***  
"Gourry, don't worry it's just a cold. I just need a few days rest and I'll be back on my feet in no time." Lina said in a raspy voice. Lina woke up that morning feeling crummy, she had a bad cough and a sore throat. Gourry had been fussing over Lina all morning and it was driving the poor sorceress out of her mind, she wasn't use to getting so spoiled.   
"Lina, I'll get that, you just stay in bed and get better." Gourry said as he got Lina's book from a chair across the room. Lina rolled her eyes. She hated being stuck in bed.  
"Gourry, why don't you go check on Liana, see what she's doing." Lina had realized that the child had been quiet for far too long, it wasn't like her to be so quiet.  
"Not to worry Lina, I sent her over to play with Joanna. I want you to have peace and quiet." Gourry gave Lina a good-hearted smile. Lina rolled over and closed her eyes and was asleep in no time.  
It was the after noon when Lina woke up, she had been sleeping all day and she wasn't feeling any better, she was feeling worse. She looked around the room of their house. She wished that she had someone to talk to. Lina remembered the day they moved into the house. It seemed so big at first, but Amelia insisted that they move into a house close to the palace so that they wouldn't have to travel long to see each other. Lina only agreed to moving into the house because she figured it wasn't fit for a married couple to travel for the rest of their lives. When Lina became pregnant with Liana, she was grateful for the extra room and large yard.  
"So you're awake?" Gourry's voice broke through Lina's thoughts.  
"Huh? ::cough:: Yea, I'm awake and tell you the truth, I'm feeling kinda hungry." Lina rubbed her rumbling tummy. Gourry smiled and revealed a large bowl of steamy chicken soup. "I figured you would be hungry when you woke up." He placed a tray in Lina's lap and put the bowl on top of it.  
"Gourry, you really are an idiot." Lina smiled as she took the spoon and dug in.  
"Why do you say that?" Gourry said giving Lina a sideways glance.  
"Oh Gourry. I'm just kidding." Lina grabbed his shirt and pulled him down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Gourry hugged Lina and picked up her spoon and handed it to her saying, "Eat up, your soups going to get cold." Lina couldn't help smiling, she was starting to like being fussed over.  
That night Gourry held Lina close to his chest as she slept. He stroked her hair and smiled to himself, he hated seeing her so sick, but she wasn't about to let it beat her. Just then Lina started having a coughing fit so bad that it woke her up. Lina leaned over the bed and blood trickled from her mouth as her coughing racked her tiny body. "Lina! Are you ok?" Gourry asked. He was very worried now. When the coughing fit was over, Lina laid back in bed next to Gourry and said in a raspy voice, "I think I need to see a doctor Gourry." Lina's body was shaking and Gourry could feel her tight little back muscles against his chest. He was truly worried, he had never seen anyone with a cold cough up blood like that.  
  
The next morning Gourry woke up to find Lina shivering and looking very pale. He tried to wake her up but she only told him to go away and let her sleep. When Gourry felt her forehead, he found she had a very high fever. Not wanting Lina out in a draft, Gourry decided to go get a doctor and bring him here. Gourry didn't mind paying extra for the house call, he just wanted Lina to feel better.  
When Gourry brought the doctor back, he found Lina lying on the floor, shivering. She had pulled a pillow down with her so the doctor figured that she must have gotten down there on purpose. Gourry picked Lina up and put her back in bed. Lina woke up and looked up at Gourry, her eyes were full of pain and sickness. "Gourry, it's so hot." She said in a voice that was barely audible.  
"Shhh, it's going to be ok, I brought a doctor to see you." Gourry pushed Lina's sweat soaked bangs out of her eyes.   
"You need to leave while I examine her Mr. Gabriev." The doctor said as he escorted Gourry out of the room. The doctor looked down Lina's throat and ruled out strep and tonsillitis. He listened to her breath and her lungs were very tight and they rattled when she took a breath in. The doctor took her temperature and it was very high for it to be a cold. He checked her ears, no, not an ear infection either. So the doctor took some blood and told Gourry that he would be back the next morning to give him the results. "I've never seen anything like this. You say she only started feeling bad yesterday morning? I've never seen anyone get so sick that fast." The doctor said as he stepped up into his carriage.  
Gourry went back into the house and returned to his wife's side. "Oh Lina, I wish I knew what was wrong with you." Gourry said as he held Lina's hand. Lina looked at him through exhausted eyes. She had been coughing so hard that she could barely sit up. "Gourry, I'm pretty sick, huh?" She said with a weak smile.  
"Yea, you are. Lina, get some rest, please. Your daughter is worried about you, can I bring her in to see you ?" Gourry asked. Lina's eyes widened. "Gourry, no. I don't want her to catch this!" Lina choked out. Lina herself was feeling horrible, she couldn't even imagine what this would do to a seven year old.   
"Ok, I'll tell her that you're asleep, which you will be." Gourry smiled at Lina. He tucked her in and kissed her on her forehead. Lina closed her eyes and was asleep again. Lina slept the whole day and night.  
  
The next morning, around ten, the doctor returned. He didn't look none to hopeful. Gourry greeted him at the door and hastily invited him to come in. The doctor sat in the chair in the main room and placed his briefcase on his lap and opened it. "I'll be frank Mr. Gabriev. I don't know what's wrong with your wife. Is she a sorceress by any chance?" The doctor looked at Gourry over his paper work and Gourry nodded. "That's what I was afraid of. There has been an epidemic that has been striking down sorceress' with strong magical abilities, I take it your wife is a strong sorceress as well?" Again Gourry nodded, the color had drained from his face. The doctor continued on, "I'm sorry Mr. Gabriev, but I haven't seen that many happy endings with this illness, I've only seen one sorceress get better but she didn't have strong magic like all the other cases. Mr. Gabriev, do you follow me?" Gourry's jaw had dropped, he couldn't believe what the doctor was saying.   
"Lina's going to die?" He spat out. The doctor nodded sadly. "There isn't much hope, at the rate she's going, I don't think that she has much time left. I'm so sorry."  
"Is this illness contagious?" Gourry asked.  
"That's the thing, it isn't. Even if Lina had been around somebody with the same illness, she wouldn't have caught it from them. It just strikes out of nowhere. There isn't a cause nor cure. All you can do for her now is just make her comfortable, and don't be afraid to let other's see her, it could be the last time they'll ever get to see her. Does she have any family?"   
"Uh, yea. They live pretty far away though." Gourry said as he thought about when they traveled from Seyruun to go see Lina's family when she found out she was pregnant, it took them six days to get there.  
"I suggest you write to them and tell them about Lina. I must go now, I have other appointments. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to contact me." With that, the doctor left. Gourry sat in the main room a while longer, he was trying to grasp the thought of Lina dying. 'I must tell Amelia and Zel. They'll want to see her.' Gourry said to himself. Gourry brought Liana over to her friend's house and explained to the mother what was going on and she agreed that Liana could stay with her as long as she needed to. Gourry thanked her and made his way to the palace.  
  
At the palace gate, Gourry found a new guard. This proved to be a problem, the guard didn't know who Gourry was and wasn't about to just let him walk into the palace. Gourry stood there for quite some time arguing with the guard when he saw Amelia and Zel walking arm in arm around the garden. "Hey Zel, Amelia! Over here!" Gourry yelled. He somehow managed to push past the guard and made his way over to his friends. Zel and Amelia were a little surprised to see Gourry looking so frantic. Just as Gourry was about five feet from them, the guard tackled him and yanked Gourry's arms behind his back. "Ok mister, you're going to the dungeon." The guard snarled at Gourry. Gourry looked at Amelia and Zel with pleading eyes, Amelia had never seen Gourry like this before, she quickly snapped out of her daze and yelled at the guard. "Let him go! You don't just go throwing friends of the royal family in dungeons without consulting us first!" The guard quickly released Gourry and bowed down low. "I'm sorry princess, I didn't know." And with that, the guard returned to his post.  
"Gourry, What's going on? You look distressed." Amelia said as she put her hand on Gourry's shoulder.  
"It's Lina, she's very sick." Gourry said. He told them about what the doctor said and Zel and Amelia had the same reaction Gourry did when the doctor told him. They were in disbelief for a moment, but agreed to go back with Gourry.   
When they got to Gabriev home, Gourry hurried to get inside. When he reached the bedroom he shared with Lina, he found her still sleeping. He had hoped that she would have waken up by now. Zel and Amelia made their way to Lina's bed on tip toe. It was so quiet and still, it scared Gourry a bit.   
"Lina?" Amelia asked softly. Lina stirred a bit and opened her eyes and looked up at Amelia.   
"Hey kiddo, how ya' feeling?" Zel asked in a voice that Gourry only heard him use when he talked to his son.  
"I've got a nasty cold, I'll get better though." Lina's voice was raspy and rattled. Gourry almost started sobbing when he heard Lina talk. She knew she was dying, but she wasn't about to admit it. "I haven't seen you two in a while ::cough-cough:: how's your son, Mark doing?" Lina tried to make herself not sound as sick as she was.  
"He's great. You know, he thinks so highly of Liana, we were just talking about her yesterday and he was saying how he wanted to go see her." Amelia smiled warmly at Lina. Lina looked out the window, her eyes sparkled as she thought about how she would watch her daughter and Amelia's son play all day. They made such a cute couple.  
"Zel, Amelia, may I have a moment alone with Gourry?" Lina looked at them with pained eyes. Amelia nodded and left with Zel close behind her. Before closing the door after himself, Zel looked back at Lina and said, "We've had many so adventures together Lina, just know I haven't regretted a single one." Lina smiled and nodded weakly at Zel and he left the room.  
Lina had another coughing fit after Zel closed the door and her whole body crumbled under the forceful pressure that the coughing had put on her. When the fit was over she laid very still with her eyes closed and Gourry quickly made his way to the side of her bed and knelt down by her. It took Lina a while to catch her breath. "I'm so sorry Gourry. I wish I could get better, but I'm not going to am I?" Lina looked into Gourry's blue eyes, which were filled with so much pain. He lowered his head and began crying. "Shhh, it's ok. Gourry, please don't cry. I need you to be strong. I'm not afraid, neither should you." Lina started stroking Gourry's long blond hair.  
"Lina, I need you, I just don't know how I'm going to get along without you." He said between sobs.  
"Gourry, you'll always have me. I'll live on through our daughter and our memories." Lina squeaked. Gourry gazed into Lina's crimson eyes and smiled. He leaned over and kissed her soft lips and she closed her eyes and fell back asleep.  
Gourry left the room and was surprised to find Zel and Amelia still there. Zel sat on the couch in the main room and Amelia was fast asleep in his lap. "She cried herself to sleep, poor kid." Zel said as stroked Amelia's back. "How's Lina?" Zel looked up at Gourry's pained face.   
"She's asleep." Gourry sighed. "The coughing has made her so weak and she doesn't have much of an appetite. I don't know how much longer she's going to last." Gourry plopped down in the chair across from Zel.  
"I'm so sorry that this has to happen to you guys. How's Liana taking it?"   
"She doesn't even know that her mother's dying, she just thinks that Lina's sick with a cold. All she talks about is how she can't wait for Mommy to get better so that we can all go on a picnic under our tree." Gourry looked out the window and his eyes filled with tears.  
"If you need any help telling her..."  
"No, I have to do it." Gourry stopped Zel in the middle of his sentence.  
"Well, we should get going." Zel said as he picked up Amelia and brought her out to their carriage.   
As Zel gently put Amelia into the carriage without waking her, he said to Gourry, "If you need anything, anything at all, please let us know. You know where we are and I'll make sure that you won't have anymore trouble with the guards." Zel gave Gourry one of his rare, heart-filled grins and then he climbed into the driver's seat and urged the horses on into an easy trot and off they went.  
Gourry went and got his daughter from her friend's house. He decided that she must know what was going on. When Gourry got her home, he brought her up to her room and placed her on her bed. "Liana, we need to have a little chat about Mommy, ok?" he kneeled so that he was at eye level with her.   
"What's wrong? Is Mommy going to get better?" Liana asked as she clutched her favorite teddy bear that her mother had given her for her birthday.   
"Mommy's very sick and she isn't going to get well. But Liana, you must know that your mother won't really be leaving us. Just know that a piece of her lives in you and as long as you remember the good times you've had with her, she'll never really be gone." Gourry looked into his child's eyes and asked her, "Do you understand what I'm saying?"  
"I think so. If I remember her, she won't be really dead, right?" Liana looked at her father and he nodded.  
"Mommy's asleep right now, but when she wakes up, you can see her, ok Baby Bear?" Liana jumped forward and hugged her father.  
"Oh, I almost forgot, Liana, did you get dinner yet?" Liana nodded.   
"It was chicken and gravy. It was very good."   
"I have some things that need to be done, you just sit here and play with your teddy for a while." Liana nodded and hugged her bear tightly.  
Gourry went into the kitchen and pulled out a pen and paper. He thought for a minute on how to tell Lina's family that she was going to die. He finally decided on how he could put it to them and when he was finished, it read:  
  
Dear Inverse Family,  
I'm writing you this letter because Lina's very sick. The doctor says she doesn't have very long to live. I hope that you will come and see her. I know she'd like to see you all one last time. Please hurry, she's become very weak, I don't know how much longer she can hold on. Again, I'm sorry that this letter had to bring such bad news. Thank you.  
Sincerely,  
Gourry Gabrieve.   
  
Gourry sealed the letter in an envelope and the next day gave it to Zel and he flew it over to the Inverse's. Needless to say they came in a hurry to see Lina. They flew back over with Zel and it only took them a day to make it. It was very sad for Gourry to watch Lina's mother break down and cry like that and her father had a very grim look on his face. Lina's sister was trying very hard to keep it together, but when she saw her little sister lying in bed, looking so sick, she left the room crying. It had been a very hard week for Gourry and this just topped it. Lina had barley any strength left to speak. The doctor was right, Lina was going at a fast pace.  
After the family left Lina's room, Gourry went in to go sit with Lina. Everyone was there to say good-bye to Lina. Old faces brought back so many memories. Sylphiel had come to take care of Lina. Martina and Zangulus had stopped by to visit. Filia and Xellos were there too. Filia was feeling so bad for Lina that she didn't mace Xellos and he hadn't said anything mean to Filia. The whole gang and Lina's family waited in the main room(which we can safely say was getting rather small) while Gourry and Liana sat with Lina.  
"Hi Mommy." Liana said when Gourry brought her up to Lina's bed side.  
"Hey Baby Bear." Lina smiled. She tried to keep the tiredness out of her voice, she didn't want her daughter to see how weak she was.  
"You feeling better?"   
"I feel much better now that you're here." Lina made an effort to hug her child, but just didn't have the strength, she managed to squeeze her a bit and even that was enough to tire Lina out.  
"Liana, will you do Mommy a favor and take care of your Daddy for me once I'm gone?" Gourry had told Lina that morning how he explained to Liana that she was dying. Lina thought that it was good that her daughter knew the truth.  
"I'll do that Mommy. I love you."   
"I love you so much Baby Bear. You be a good girl ok?" Liana smiled at her mother and nodded. Gourry asked Sylphiel to bring the child out of the room so he could have a moment with Lina, and Sylphiel did just that.  
"Lina, you've been so strong, it's just hard to believe that you're going to die." Gourry cried. Lina looked out the large window at the tree on the hill were they called their 'spot'. The setting sun's rays outlined the tree and it looked almost magical. That was were she had most of her fond memories. That was were she'd want to be forever.  
"Gourry, you know our spot under the old tree were we'd watch the sunsets and have picnics? That's were I want my final resting place to be. Promise me that's were I'll be buried." Lina was tiring fast and Gourry could see that in Lina's eyes.  
"I promise Lina. And when I die, I'll have my body laid to rest right next to yours, so we can be together forever." Gourry started sobbing even harder and bent down to hug Lina. He picked up the little sorceress in his arms and hugged her tightly. Lina used what was left of her strength and threw her arms around Gourry's neck.   
Gourry held her for what seemed like hours, then he noticed that her body started to quiver then it stopped and her arms fell limply to her side. Gourry pulled Lina back and saw that her eyes were closed and she wasn't breathing. Lina Inverse had left her body and was now embarking on a new adventure. Gourry gently laid the tiny woman back down on the bed, crossed her arms and pulled up the covers.  
"Good-night Lina. I'll wait to see you again in my dreams." With that Gourry kissed Lina's forehead and blew out the candle in the lamp above the bed.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. A Promise

  
***Back to the present***  
Gourry woke up with a start. That dream was so real, he almost believed that Lina had just died. Then he felt something against his chest and remembered that it was Liana. 'I wonder if she had the same dream?' Gourry said to himself. It was just too real. But then again, it was real, but it all happened a year ago! Gourry was feeling mixed up and depressed. Gourry stared up at the ceiling and wondered if Lina was happy were ever she was. Gourry looked back at Liana and thought to himself 'she's so much like Lina.' Gourry smiled and he could almost feel Lina's presence in the small child. He loved her so much. Gourry closed his eyes again and started dreaming where he had left off.  
  
***Flash back***  
Gourry walked out of the room and closed the door gently behind him. He leaned against the door and put his hand over his face and he began to cry. He was all alone in that long hallway, that's how he wanted it right now, just to be left alone with his thoughts. Gourry looked at the candle that was on the wall next to his head. He watched the flame dance back and forth, then Gourry finally blew on the candle and the flame disappeared into a puff of smoke. 'That's life, one minute you're here, then life just blows you out. Just like a candle'. Gourry took the ring of black flowers off the bedroom door and he knew that he wouldn't have to say anything to the people in the main room, all he'd need to do was hang those flowers up on the front door and that would say everything. This would have to be the hardest thing he had to do, it would confirm that Lina Inverse was gone.   
When Gourry entered the main room, everyone stood up, they were about to ask Gourry about Lina when they saw the flowers, they froze. Gourry made his way through the main room, not looking at anyone or making a sound, and he opened the front door and hung the flowers carefully on the nail that had been placed there the day before. He closed the door and leaned against it with his back to every one. "I guess that's it." Gourry said in a low tone. He still refused to look at anyone. Amelia went over and hugged Gourry, then Sylphiel, Martina, Filia, and the next thing Gourry knew, he was in the middle of a huge group hug. It was quiet for a moment, then the tears came, everyone in the room was crying. It was so hard seeing Lina sick, it was even harder saying good-bye.  
"Where's Luna?" Lina's mother asked between sobs. Gourry looked around the room and didn't see her. "I'll find her, don't worry." Gourry said. He had a feeling he knew where she was and he was right. Luna was sitting outside Lina's door, she looked very upset. Gourry sat down across the hall from her.  
"Gourry, do you think it's fair? Lina's so young, it just isn't fair!" Luna cried out. Gourry didn't know what to say, he felt exactly the same way. He just sat there and let Luna cry. "Gourry, tell me, do you think Lina had a good life?"  
"Huh? I think so. She's gone on many adventures and she had a beautiful daughter. I think she had a wonderful life." Gourry looked at the door. Old memories of when Lina was pregnant came back to him, he recalled how alive the house was when Liana was born. It was so weird to Gourry now that the same room that a life was born in, there had been a life lost.   
"Liana is beautiful, I only wish Lina could watch her grow up and see her grandchildren born." Luna pulled her knees up to her chest and rapped her arms around her legs and started crying even harder. This was too much for Gourry to bare, he too started to cry as hard as Luna. He had been through so much the past week, taking care of Lina and making final arrangements, he had whipped himself out mentally, physically and emotionally. This was his first chance at being able to let it all out and he did.  
Amelia came down the hall with a candle and found Luna and Gourry sitting on either side of the hall. Amelia approached Gourry and tapped him on the shoulder, "Gourry, everyone's leaving, are you going to say good-bye to them?" Gourry looked up at her with his tear-stained blue eyes and nodded. "Luna, your mother wants you." The three of them started their way back down the dark hallway when Luna stopped and looked back at the door and said, "Good-bye Lina, my little sister."   
Gourry got back to the main room and saw everyone hugging everyone else. Gourry just mingled in the entrance and watched, he didn't really want to be hugged right now. Zel and Amelia saw everyone out and they stayed a little while after they had left.  
"Gourry, do you need anything?" Zel asked.  
"No, it's all right." Gourry looked at the ground, he didn't want Zel to see how miserable he was.  
"We're so sorry. But I promise you Lina will have the biggest funeral Seyruun has ever seen." Amelia said. She went up and hugged Gourry as tight as she could. Gourry put his hands on Amelia's shoulders and pushed her away. "Gourry, are you going to be all right, why don't you bring Liana to the palace for the night." Amelia looked into Gourry's eyes.   
"No, I can't leave Lina here alone." Gourry said as he looked over his shoulder to the door of the room Lina was in.   
"Gourry come on, you can't do anything for her now." Zel put his hand on Gourry's shoulder and Gourry looked up and saw that Zel was hurting just as much as anyone else. Gourry shook his head. "No, I want to stay here, but could Liana stay with you?" Amelia nodded, "That'll be fine, but if you want, you can come over at any time."  
Gourry got Liana from her room and packed some clothes for her and sent her with Amelia and Zel. Gourry watched as they drove off and when they were gone, he looked over the field at the tree on the hill. It looked like a ghost sitting up there alone, silhouetted against the night sky. He wondered why Lina would want to be buried there, but he made a promise to Lina and he wasn't going to break it.   



	4. The Final Chapter

  
As Amelia promised, Lina had a huge funeral. It started with Lina's hand crafted casket being brought out of the palace gates, which were flooded by people trying to catch a glimpse of the white casket with gold lining around it. On top if it was a gold frame in the shape of roses and in the frame was a picture of Lina, Gourry and Liana. It was a gorgeous casket, one fit for a king; no one had ever seen anything like it.   
The casket was brought out on a large cart pulled by two huge black horses. Following the cart were all of Lina's family and friends. Gourry and Liana followed closely to the cart, and Zel and Amelia were right behind them. As they made their way through the winding road of Seyruun to Lina's burial spot, people had gathered around from miles to see Lina Inverse make her last journey. As they past the ever-growing crowd, Gourry noticed flowers flying from each direction, they he realized that the people on the sidewalks were throwing them onto Lina's casket. They were mostly purple and white flowers, a few red and black roses mixed in with the pastel colored flowers. Liana marveled at the crowd, at first she thought all these people knew her mother at sometime.   
As they got closer to Gourry's home, he looked up at the hill and saw the tree looming over it. The tree cast a small shadow over the hole dug in the ground, only a little light was shed and that was on the tombstone that had been carved specially for Lina. On the top of the tombstone, a detailed unicorn lying down with it's head pointing down toward the main body of the stone, it looked as though it were mourning the name written on it. The main body of the tombstone read:  
  
"Lina Gabriev  
  
Loving wife and mother. Lina will always be remembered for her kind heart and good nature. Although Lina was a powerful sorceress, her love was even more powerful. She will be sourly missed by the world, especially by those who knew her, but she will never be forgotten.  
Rest In Peace our little Angel."  
  
Gourry took a large gulp as they neared the hill. It broke his heart to even think of Lina being put in the ground forever, but he knew that this was what would close the final chapter of Lina's life. The horses stopped at the bottom of the hill, they couldn't handle taking the cart up the hill, so the casket was carried by four men who were hired for the job, but Gourry insisted that he at least be able to support the bottom of the casket up the hill. All the way up Gourry cried, he couldn't believe that his precious Lina was inside this box. He halfway expected Lina to pop out and yell at him for burring her, but it never happened. He knew she was gone.   
Once at the top of the hill, the men placed the casket beside the hole. Gourry knelt by the casket's side, as he done so when he knelt by Lina's bedside. Gourry folded his arms across the casket and buried his head into his arms and cried.   
"Daddy?" Liana's voice made Gourry jump slightly. Ever since Lina's death, no one had really spoken to him except Zel and Amelia, but he had basically shut them out. Gourry looked and saw Liana's pleading eyes staring straight into his. "Oh baby girl." He said in a soft and painful tone of voice. The child fell into his arms and started crying. She hugged him tightly as he held her close. "Gourry." A little voice made Gourry look up to see Mark Grewords holding a purple flower in front of his face. Gourry reached up and took it, he looked at the small offering for a bit, then pulled Mark in and hugged him with his daughter.  
  
Gourry looked around him and saw that the hill was covered with people. He recognized most of the faces there, like Zel and Amelia, Martina and Zangulus, Filia, Xellos, Sylphiel and even a few people that they bumped into in their journeys. All of them were crying or were close to it. Gourry looked at his daughter, she was sitting next to him, clutching her teddy bear with her head on his arms sobbing as she stared at the glistening casket. The priest gave a beautiful speech about Lina, but it was mostly on how every one saw her, Lina the sorceress who saved the world numerous times and defeated dark lords etc. But when Luna stood up, she gave an incredible speech for her little sister. She had so much trouble giving it though, the tears that she tried to hold back wouldn't obey, the flowed like rivers down her face, but she managed to finish the speech. When Luna got back to her seat, nobody moved, it was so still.   
Just when it seemed that the silence would last an eternity, Liana got up from her seat and approached the casket. She placed her hand on top of it and traced the gold frame and gently put her fingers on where her mother stood in the little picture. Liana suddenly lifted the casket, revealing her mother. Lina looked so peaceful. Her arms were crossed and her eyes were closed, she looked like she was asleep. Liana leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek and then placed her precious teddy bear next to Lina, then closed the casket and returned to her seat where Gourry gave her an encouraging hug.   
The four men hired to carry the casket up the hill went to it and started lowering Lina into the earth. Gourry got up from his seat and threw the flower given to him on top of the casket and when Gourry turned around, he found Amelia coming over to do the same thing. Suddenly every one came over and tossed the flowers on the casket as it lowered.  
A slight breeze rustled through the large oak tree and everyone there could almost hear Lina's voice whispering to them, her words were different to each person, but to Gourry, Lina was saying 'Good-bye my love, I'll always be watching over you.' Gourry looked up into the flowing leaves and smiled. By the time the dirt had been replaced back into the hole that now held Lina, the sun had set and the sky was turned to a crimson red. By then, only Amelia, Zel and Gourry's friends remained; they wanted a private moment with each other. Gourry was relieved when everyone else went home. Lina's mother had cried into Gourry's shoulder so hard he could feel the small woman shake from the tears that refused to stop. Lina's father had to pull her off of Gourry and one last hug from Luna and they left. Gourry wasn't sure when he'd see them again, if he'd ever see them again. The only link Gourry had to them was through Lina and that link was broken now.   
"Gourry, I'm so sorry. I wish that there was something I could do for you." Filia said. She didn't quite understand human deaths, but loosing Lina made her feel the hurt that the others were feeling. Gourry nodded and turned back to watch the sun set. After every one left Xellos popped up and placed his hand on Gourry's shoulder. "Beautiful isn't it?" Gourry looked at the mazoku and nodded.  
"Yes it is. Hard to believe that I use to watch the same sunset with Lina." Gourry took in a deep breath and let out a long sigh as he turned back to watch the sky.  
"Yes, but remember this Gourry, where a day ends, a new dawn will arise." Xellos opened one of his eyes and smiled at Gourry. Even though Xellos was a monster, he too had feelings.  
"I don't understand Xellos. When the day ends, there's night, then the dawn comes." Gourry looked at the bleeding sky as it slowly gave way to the stars.  
"You'll see, someday. You'll see." Xellos patted Gourry on the back then disappeared again.  
The setting sun gave Gourry a sense of comfort, he felt as though it was Lina's way of waving good-bye to him. He still didn't get what Xellos meant though. He figured he probably never will.  
  
****Probably forgot that you were reading a flash back, huh? Back to the present!****   
  
The sun rose and the light flooded the room waking Gourry up from his sleep. He opened his eyes and looked around the room as if for the first time. Little did he know that letting those memories unlock themselves would finally let Gourry find some closure in a part of his life.   
From then on, Gourry lived as though he had Lina beside him. He knew that she was with him were ever he went and as Liana got older, Gourry saw more and more of Lina in their daughter's youthful nature. Never again did Gourry dream of the sad days leading up to Lina's death, instead, he dreamed of the times he treasured most with her; the first time they met, their wedding, and the most precious moment of all, the birth of their child, Liana.  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Comming soon, new addition to DAWN

  
For those of you who have been following this series either on fanfiction.net or on the DAWN site @ http://www.geocities.com/shaman181/dawn.html, there will be a whole new series that I will be finishing soon. I can't tell you what it's about, but let's just say it will be the closing for DAWN. This series was inspired by all of you who e-mailed me wanting more. I wasn't originally going to write another series, but I was being swamped by e-mails demanding more. So here you go, comming soon the closing season to DAWN, it will be entitled Setting Sun. Keep your eyes out and when I'm finished I will put it in the status part below.   
Live well and deep,   
-SunStreak   
  
Setting Sun STATUS: Finished CHAPTER 9, Working on CHAPTER 10 


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